Petrus Astronomus

Petrus Astronomus (died after 1513), [cite web |url=http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&u=http://www.sblexikon.se/bd29.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DPetrus%2BAstronomus%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN |title=Personal and släktartiklar detail |accessdate=2008-07-11 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=translate.google.com] a German by birth, was a monk in Vadstena Abbey, Vadstena, Sweden. In 1506, created an astronomical clock for the Uppsala Cathedral,cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YSf9MVxa2JEC&pg=PA134&lpg=PA134&dq=Petrus+Astronomus&source=web&ots=q1no9Rn-4q&sig=ZBmKpFKf1LvaLsuoZJokVGHKtHQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result |pages=134 |title=Clocks and Culture, 1300-1700 |last=Carlo M. Cipolla |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2003 |publisher=Norton |location=New York |isbn=0393324435] which, in addition to the hours and minutes of the day, also illustrated the moon phase and the movements of the planets. The clock was repaired by Christopher Polhem in the 1600s but destroyed in a fire in 1702.

Between 1508 and 1509 he also conducted a series of lectures in astronomy in Uppsala for interested youngsters.

He is sometimes erroneously confused for Conrad Dasypodius who constructed the astronomic clockwork in the Strassbourg cathedral.

References